August 21, 2008

Report: 'Courier-Post' Lays Off Mascot

The Courier-Post recently ended a round of layoffs, and the last one was surely the toughest: The paper has fired its mascot, Spot News.

The paper probably still has the 30-pound dog suit, but the employee who had to labor in it is gone. The Gannett Blog also gets another story from the tipster: That of the officewide prayer circle.

"In other strange news, I witnessed my first newsroom prayer circle yesterday. After the newsroom was notified it was spared, the metro editor summoned everyone into the conference room. He then asked everyone to pray with him for our colleagues who lost their jobs. I quickly exited the room. Other people also were pissed."

Eh. Gotta find salvation somewhere -- why not a more convenient conference room than a church?

In Cherry Hill, 'Spot News' goes [Gannett Blog]

Posted by D-Mac at 01:11 PM | Comments (1)

May 23, 2008

Celebrity Finally Poses With Mascot

Yes, you've seen the tales of Paris Hilton turning down a guy in a groundhog suit and Ashlee Simpson turning down the Red Robin mascot.

And, now, you see, the Hatfield pig has finally gotten a celebrity to pose with a mascot in the Philadelphia area:

Okay, so it's just Greg Luzinski (aka The Bull), who spent part of his Phillies career being cheered on by colonial-era kids and another short part cheered on by a horror of Darwinian evolution. And, also, he's not as famous as Hilton or Simpson, for reasons I can't understand why. And, also, he's an employee of the Phillies (or at least has a food stand in Citizens Bank Park) and Hatfield is a sponsor of the Phils.

But, hey, a celebrity posed with a mascot. Progress!

HATFIELD'S BBQ TO KICK OFF SUMMER with special guest Greg "The Bull" Luzinski [Philly Chit Chat]

Posted by D-Mac at 02:31 PM | Comments (1)

April 25, 2008

Mascot Race At Penn Relays

Jonathan Tannenwald is blogging the Penn Relays 'til he drops, and above he got a nice photo of the mascot race (mascot race!) that took place on the field.

As you can see, all the mascots were there: The Geico Gecko, Swoop and, of course, the Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup! Uhh, yeah, that guy. The coffee cup won the mascot race because, well, the dude in the costume didn't have to run with giant furry costume legs.

Bill Cosby has a gun [Soft Pretzel Logic]

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March 05, 2008

Ashlee Simpson Disses Mascot

When celebrities come to Philadelphia, they don't just visit department stores. They also turn down photo requests from mascots. Last November, Paris Hilton turned down a photo request from a groundhog from the state's tourism bureau; security also made him remove his groundhog head. Thousands of children scarred.

Ashlee Simpson appeared at a Wal-Mart in Bucks County Monday afternoon, hawking copies of her new single. The Courier-Times also turns into The Insider for a moment:

“She got bad directions,” a publicist explained, dismissing a rumor that Simpson's people had driven her to the wrong Wal-Mart.

Translation: Ashlee Simpson was driven to the wrong Wal-Mart.

Continue reading "Ashlee Simpson Disses Mascot"

Posted by D-Mac at 01:34 PM | Comments (1)

January 21, 2008

76ers Celebrate MLK Day With Rabbit

Above, the Philadelphia 76ers celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy by throwing Hip Hop, their rabbit mascot, into giant bowling pins. Afterward, Eagles receiver Reggie Brown does not compare Dr. King to Donovan McNabb or Terrell Owens.

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September 07, 2007

Come On, Ed, You're Making It Too Easy

Too easy, actually. Even time I try to come up with a funny comment, my brain just goes "Bahahahahahahahahahahaha which one's fatter??"

Actually, that works.

Clout | Is Campbell being an mm-mm-bad loser? [Daily News]

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May 01, 2007

Michael Nutter Destroys City Hall In Monty Pythonesque Fashion, Prevents Hurricane Schwartz From Securing No-Bid Contract

I really can't say how much I love this ad. Not only does it have Philly's inspector general personally creeping up on corrupt employees in the middle of the night, it also reveals no-bid contracts are apparently given out in shady elevator deals. Oh, and, yes, it features the destruction of City Hall by either God or a giant, leading to the deaths of lots of people who apparently work in the building's tower for some reason.

Oh, and it does pack a lot of information into 30 seconds, but whatever, who cares about that.

More awesome ads after the jump.

Continue reading "Michael Nutter Destroys City Hall In Monty Pythonesque Fashion, Prevents Hurricane Schwartz From Securing No-Bid Contract"

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April 26, 2007

Giant Mascot Holds Press Conference

An interesting press release arrived today from one Tommy the Loan Shark, who is holding a press conference outside City Hall at 1 p.m. today. Which means: Crap, I missed it.

Well that sorta screws up this post, doesn't it? Oh well. Let's just continue. I'm not quite sure how Tommy types with his little fins, but he does, apparently, go by "Tommie" now and not "Tommy." Here's the release (I especially dig the exclamation point after "PRESS RELEASE"):

------ Forwarded Message

From: Tommie Shark
Date: Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:13:18 -0500
To: People
Subject: PRESS RELEASE: Press Conference at CITY HALL TOMORROW!

PRESS RELEASE!

FROM: TOMMIE THE LOAN SHARK

TO: ALL REPORTERS AND CITIZENS

Continue reading "Giant Mascot Holds Press Conference"

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April 12, 2007

First Video Of Tommy The Loan Shark In Action

Scientists announced today they have captured the first known video of Tommy the Loan Shark, the creature that has been terrorizing Tom Knox since April 4. One of the rarest of species, scientists hope to be able to analyze this video and find new clues about loan sharks in the coming weeks. This video confirms, apparently, the species does exist. Maybe we can catch it again sometime.

Tommy the Shark at Temple University [YouTube]
April 4: Nastiness Begins In Mayor's Race
April 11: Milton Takes On Fort Knox

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September 18, 2006

Philly-Affiliated Team Wins Championship!

Friday night, Phillies single-A affiliate Lakewood Blueclaws captured the SAL championship wih a 5-0 win over Augusta.

There was the usual mobbing-everyone-on-the-mound celebration, and then a team photo afterward:

If you're wondering, the giant furry mascot ended the season with a .307 batting average, 22 homers and 56 RBI. Surely, he deserves a promotion to Reading next year.

Blueclaws' triumph clinches first title [Asbury Park Press]
Photo Gallery: SAL Championship Game 4

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August 31, 2006

'Good Day' Drops Ball, '10!' Show Picks It Up

Now that Mascot Monday appears to just be an inexplicable part of our past, the other local morning shows are picking up the slack with mascots. Good show, 10! Good show.

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August 17, 2006

Vote For The Duck! No! Vote For The Gorilla!

The race for Pennsylvania's junior senate seat just keeps getting more and more exciting. (And by "exciting," we mean "stupid.")

While Rick Santorum is on TV proclaiming that a newspaper called him too liberal, and Bob Casey is, uh, in a secret underground bunker somewhere with duct tape over his mouth, interested parties are trying to sway the votes toward their candidate of choice.

The newest way to gain the public's trust: Mascots.

Yes, that's right. Rick Santorum has been sending a staffer in a duck costume to Casey events -- because Casey "ducks" the issues, har de har har -- for a while now, and a group that would like Casey to win is joining the fray with "Grandpa Gorilla."

Grandpa Gorilla is an 11-foot inflatable gorilla that is supposed to show that Rick Santorum doesn't care about old people, or at least Social Security. The DC-based group Americans United is angry that Santorum wanted to privatize Social Security.

So, basically, come November, you have a choice between a gorilla and a duck. Ain't politics grand?

Monkey on Rick's back [Daily News]

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August 16, 2006

This Is Why We Always Come Back, Phillies

A mascot tug-of-war and an 11-4 win over the Mets? Be still my heart.

Phils bury Mets again behind Wolf [Inquirer]

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July 26, 2006

Website Finally Finds Words To Explain Phanatic's Greatness

From MLBMascots.com:

The Phanatic is at his mischievous best while riding on his all-terrain vehicle before the game. He even tries to knock off the players of the opposing team to give the home team any advantage. He participates in scoffing and hooting at the opposing team along with the fans. In the crowd he is up to any mischief. He may awkwardly a tub of popcorn, steal your girlfriend, buff a bald head or just sit down and watch the game with you - from your lap.

Truer words were never written.

Phillie Phanatic [MLBMascots.com]

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July 17, 2006

Mascot Monday Has Totally Gone Nuts

While this isn't quite at the level of the minute-and-a-half Phillie Phanatic Mascot Monday, this is seriously effed up. Today's Mascot Monday features a giant sun, freakin' Santa Claus and the return of Jennaphr Frederick:

Some thoughts about today's Mascot Monday after the jump.

Continue reading "Mascot Monday Has Totally Gone Nuts"

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July 10, 2006

Mascot Monday Now Inventing New Mascots

It's beginning to look like Good Day Philadelphia is never going to run out of mascots. When they began doing Mascot Monday, it seemed like they'd have a few weeks of mascots to dance with, then, well, they'd run out.

Touché:

Jennaphr Frederick is off today, so George Mallet and an intern take over the dancing -- with two mascots who may have just been created specifically for Mascot Monday.

Our favorite character here is "Caitlin the Intern," though, as, basically, we're hoping she's getting college credit for this.

Archives: Good Day Philadelphia

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April 17, 2006

If Only We Still Had The Warriors...

When you think about it, Philadelphia has a bunch of fairly lame sports mascots. Except for the Eagles, which is both a patriotic and fearsome (kinda) mascot, the rest of the city's pro sports teams have pretty shitty nicknames. You have to go to a minor league team -- the Phantoms -- to find anything even remotely cool. I guess a Phillie is a Philadelphian, or possibly a giant green bird-like creature, so maybe that's a little fearsome. But Flyers? 76ers? Huh?

Now it's mathematically proven. Alkaline Earth has put together a City Name Sports Team Fearsomeness Index, and Philadelphia is close to the bottom of the list, and is the lowest-ranked city among those with all four major sports teams. (Philly does beat a couple terrible team names, like the Spurs, Jazz, Packers, &c.)

Each mascot gets a fearsomeness score from 0 to 4, and the scores are then averaged by city, etc. The Eagles are the only Philadelphia team to not get a 0. Oakland -- with the Raiders and Warriors balancing out the Athletics -- was the top-ranked city.

The methodology is a little weird -- the Sacramento Kings are more fearsome than the Los Angeles Kings, oddly -- but it is safe to say that if you need to go to defunct women's teams (Charge, Rage) and a lacrosse team (Barrage) to get something fearsome, Philadelphia's mascots are pretty lame.

Our fans, however, more than make up for it.

What City is Awesomest? [Alkaline Earth via Deadspin]
Image from Philadelphia-Eagles.Net

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April 10, 2006

Dance, Mascots, Dance!

What would a Monday be without a good old fashioned Mascot Monday:

And, really, is there a better capper to your day than this?

Archives: Good Day Philadelphia

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March 06, 2006

It's a polyp party on 'Good Day'

Anytime somebody bashes Philly, I am just going to show them the following video. It really doesn't get any better than this: On Good Day Philadelphia, Jennaphr Frederick dances with the director of security and a pre-cancerous colon polyp known as Polypman. (March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.) The guy in the polyp suit is a med student who needs extra money. Oh, and they're dancing to Sasha Baron Cohen's cover of "I Like To Move It" from the Madagascar soundtrack. And the director of security, Harry, is doing the 'Raj' From What's Happening.

A bit of backtracking: I am not positive, but I believe the first time they did this was when guys in penguins suits came on to celebrate the DVD release of Madagascar. And since then they've danced with a steak, a muffler that looked like a flask, a baby, the University of Delaware mascot and a griffin. It's usually just Frederick dancing, but if we're lucky, Kerri-Lee Halkett joins them, too.

There are so many questions: Who is their target audience? Do they really enjoy dancing? Do they get embarassed to do this? Whose idea was this in the first place? If you're a mascot, how do you get on this show? Is there some sort of application process?

But this much is definitely known: This could not happen anywhere else. Even with all the silly things the anchors on, say, Today, do, it doesn't hold a candle to this. Only in Philadelphia could anchors on a morning show dance like this and not be fired immediately. And for that I am grateful, because things like this are simply awesome.

That being said, it's time to invoke the fair use laws and show the video:

Archives: Good Day Philadelphia

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Breaking: Dancing colon polyp on 'Good Day'

I get back in from my morning run to hear this: The colon polyp suggested by George Mallet in a comment last week was not a joke. It will be on Good Day Philadelphia this morning.

The best part of it? This blog was about to get namechecked, until George Mallet interrupted Jennaphr Frederick. (She got to "Philadelphia Wi--" before George remembered other mascots they'd danced with.) Still, this is almost as good as Beanie Sigel namedropping the Beanie Blog in court.

It'll be on a little before the end of the show (at 9) this morning, if you're home. Plus, after that, you can watch Judge Hatchett!

Beanie's Favorite Beanie Blog Post! [Beanie Blog]
March 3: Preview of Monday's 'Good Day Philadelphia'

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March 03, 2006

Preview of Monday's 'Good Day Philadelphia'

This morning I got a comment from "George Mallet" from Fox 29. I checked and it comes from someone at "Fox Philadelphia," so I think we can all reasonably assume it's from him.

Mallet comments:

Wait until this Monday when Jenn dances with a colon polyp. You haven't lived until you see a colon polyp bust a move on live tv.

That's probably a joke, but, you know what, I can't wait until Monday to find out.

Previously on PWD: Good Day Philadelphia

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February 27, 2006

It Continues: Mascot Monday on 'Good Day'

Indeed! Last week we all saw the Good Day Philadelphia crew dancing with the mascot of the University of Delaware. It seemed to be pretty popular. (One of you even emailed me that he'd be watching today's edition of Good Day in order to see the dancing.)

And, today, the Good Day team danced with Griffy the Griffon, the mascot of the Church Farm School in Exton, Pa. And there are new graphics, a strobe effect and discussion about the rising popularity of "Mascot Monday." Without further ado:

Anytime I'm down, I just need to watch videos like this. They make me realize how good it is to be alive. It's like Video Wellbutrin!

Feb. 21: Video: 'Good Day' Mascot Monday

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February 20, 2006

'Good Day': The mascots are back!

Today, they danced with YoUDee, the mascot of the University of Delaware:

Three more images after the jump. If you need a refresher, here's a link to previous Good Day Philadelphia goodness.

Continue reading "'Good Day': The mascots are back!"

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January 24, 2006

'Good Day,' (sort of) explained

I got more e-mails and comments yesterday about the screenshots from Good Day Philadelphia than about anything else I've written about since I started this thing. And I think it deserves some explanation.

Some of you were surprised after seeing a dancing steak, muffler and bunny, but to me it was nothing new. They've been dancing with mascots -- "Mascot Monday," they call it -- for at least a few weeks on the show now. Maybe it's because I deal with the dregs of the Internet (and, therefore, society) every day, but I never really thought much of it. "Dancing with mascots? Brilliant," I say.

Yesterday's mascots were from (I think) CareerBuilder.com, apparently because you could get a job as a bunny, a steak or a muffler by using that website. (The hosts thought the muffler looked more like a flask.)

Anyway, if you want more dancing mascot goodness, I can only assume they're going to keep doing it. And now that I realize it's so popular, of course I'm going to report on it each and every week. If I remember.

Yesterday: Actual image from this morning's 'Good Day Philadelphia,' presented without comment

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